This Day in History: <br />The War in Iraq Begins March 19, 2003 In a televised address to the <br />American people, U.S. President <br />George W. Bush announced the beginning <br />of what would become an eight-year-long war. 48 hours earlier, the <br />U.S. had issued an ultimatum <br />to Iraqi dictator Saddam <br />Hussein to leave his country. As justification for the war, <br />Bush cited the existence of <br />weapons of mass destruction and <br />the country's support of terrorist groups. The Hussein regime was toppled <br />within just a few weeks, but <br />insurgents continued a bloody <br />guerrilla war against coalition forces. In 2006, U.S. soldiers <br />captured Saddam Hussein <br />while he was hiding in a hole <br />not far from his hometown. He was tried, found <br />guilty and executed for <br />crimes against the Iraqi people. On December 15, 2011, <br />the U.S. military declared <br />the end of its mission in Iraq. Despite an extended investigation, <br />UN inspectors found no evidence <br />of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
